The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 21

Crystal’s gaze drifted naturally to Matthew, and she took the initiative, “Matthew, this is your first time back in a while too, isn’t it?”

Matthew nodded gently. “Yes.”

Crystal smiled and took a sip of water. “Looks like you and I are in the same boat, then…”

So she wasn’t the only one who never came home.

Michael couldn’t help but interject, “Matthew’s been gone working on aircraft carriers. Unless you were off in Europe doing the same thing?”

Crystal choked on her water, coughing as she tried to regain her composure.

She forced a sheepish smile. “Michael, I was abroad getting my MBA. I thought Samuel had his hands full running the company, so maybe I could help share the load someday…”

Samuel was the one she most wanted to impress in this family. He was the patriarch—the one steering the entire family business, and by far the wealthiest of her brothers. Getting on Samuel’s good side was always a smart move.

But Samuel barely flicked his eyes up at her words, his expression cold, clearly uninterested in the conversation.

Michael pressed on, “An MBA, huh? Bet you learned a lot over there. Four years in grad school must’ve been something.”

He seemed genuinely curious about her academic achievements.

Crystal put on her most modest face. “Oh, it was alright. Before I came home, I actually got an offer from one of the top firms in Scandinavia, but I turned it down. I wanted to spend more time with Mom and Dad.”

Her words oozed familial devotion, though a subtle hint of pride slipped through.

Michael’s interest was instantly piqued. “Wow, that sounds impressive. If you turned down an offer like that, you must really want to join our company. Samuel, why don’t you take this chance to give her a little interview? Test out those professional skills of hers.”

What?

Crystal’s heart lurched in panic.

Michael grinned. “Don’t let Noah’s age fool you, Crystal. He probably knows more than you do. If you run into something you don’t understand, you can always ask him for advice.”

Crystal’s mouth twitched in disbelief.

Was this a joke?

What could a four-year-old possibly know about running a company? And she was supposed to go to him for help?

Crystal let out a couple of dry laughs. “Michael, be serious…”

But Michael cut her off. “Who says I’m joking? I mean it. If you can’t even keep up with Noah, forget about working at the company. You know how Samuel is—he’s not going to keep anyone around who doesn’t pull their weight.”

The words hit Crystal like a slap in the face—sharp, humiliating, and impossible to ignore. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

Michael’s sharp tongue was practically lethal; he might as well have finished her off right there.